


The Importance of Punctuality

by boysquipleurent



Series: Inside A Galaxy (Poly Household Verse) [1]
Category: K-pop, VIXX
Genre: Aftercare, Dom/sub Undertones, Domestic Discipline, Domestic Fluff, Gen, Light Dom/sub, M/M, Multi, Poly Family, Poly Household - Freeform, Polyamory, Queerplatonic Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-11
Updated: 2016-10-11
Packaged: 2018-08-21 20:12:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8259197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boysquipleurent/pseuds/boysquipleurent
Summary: Ravi breaks a basic rule.  Takes place October 2016.(Rating changed from M to T.  Please keep in mind however, that this work does contain passing references to the BDSM lifestyle, as well as polyamory if that makes you uncomfortable.)





	

     Ravi doesn’t mean for it to happen. He never means for it to happen. But he knows that intentions don’t count when it comes to this.

     It starts when he’s finally satisfied with the last layer of the new track. He slides his headphones off and stretches, cracking his neck on each side. That’s the first thirty seconds done, and he could do more but he should stop, it’s probably almost two o’clock- 

     Ravi’s heart stops when he sees the clock in the corner of his computer screen. It’s worse every time it happens, the way a chill creeps over his skin and everything zeroes in on whatever point of focus he has in that moment. This time it’s his desktop clock, steadily projecting 5:37 PM at him.

     “No, no, no no no-“ he whispers, hating the way his throat is already closing tight as he picks up his phone and sees close to twenty notifications.

     [sms] from “Devil Child”: if ur late tonight, im not covering for u this time~ ….unless u can convince hakyeon to take the timer limits off steam

     It was time stamped 11:14 AM. The next one is from Hongbin, at 12:57 PM.

     [sms] from “Rama Lama Bing Bong”: hey don’t be late tonight, k? also I’m supposed to ask you if you’ve eaten nosngdoghsREHGROUH

     [sms] from “Rama Lama Bing Bong”: EAT YOUR LUNCH WONSHIK

     [sms] from “Rama Lama Bing Bong”: CHRIST, fucking hakyeon. didn’t even know he was behind me. anyway, yeah, they said to remind you to eat, so…there you go 

     Ravi winces. His stomach makes a noise. He hadn’t remembered. Well actually, he’d eaten a granola bar at….some point. He can’t remember when, but the empty wrapper next to his mouse is definitely fresh. It’s hardly enough to redeem him this time, though. 

     [sms] from “Hwannie <3”: hey, it’s 2. are you leaving soon?

     [sms] from “Hwannie <3”: wonshik, it’s 2:30. it’s time to go.

   And then at 3:

     [sms] from “Hwannie <3”: get home asap. I bought you an hour with minimal consequences

     Then there’s a flurry of text messages from Ken and Hongbin, like if they spammed him enough he might notice his the frenetic buzzing. There’s also one from Hyuk that says “ur in trouble~ again~” There aren’t any texts after 3:45, and he can see that Hongbin had entered more text but never sent it, which he guesses is about when Hakyeon confiscated all their phones.

     Then there’s missed call from Hakyeon at 4. And another one at 5. Ravi’s eyes blur and he bites his lip. It takes him a minute to breathe enough to open their group chat and type out “packing up, omw hom,” his fingers trembling a little.

     He turns back to the computer and very carefully saves all of his work, and then saves it again just in case. If he’d accidentally deleted anything or shut down before he’d saved it, he would never have forgiven himself. If he was in as much trouble as he thought he was, Ravi wanted something to show for it at the end of the day at least. 

     He stands and looks all around him as the computer shuts down, flipping switches and haphazardly gathering his things. He tries to calm down and think through everything he brought with him today, and make sure he has each item. When his backpack is finally together and the lights are off, he speedwalks to the parking lot, thankful that he borrowed one of the cars today. The dashboard clock glows 5:49 at him, its teal display accusing.

     He drives five miles over the speed limit all the way back, because if he gets back too early then they’ll know he sped and he really doesn’t need to add to what’s waiting for him. His heartbeat is rapid as he pulls into the driveway and grabs his bag. When he opens the front door and steps inside, his eyes search out any clock he can find, settling on the wall clock in the living room. It reads 6:05. His heart sinks.

     “I’m home,” he mumbles weakly, shutting the door behind him. The four of them are in the living room. Hongbin, Sanghyuk, and Ken are on the couch. Hyuk peaks over the back of it, eyes round and looking curious about what’s to come. Hongbin is biting his lip, and gives him a very small smile. Ken raises his eyebrows impassively. Ravi’s gaze turns to Hakyeon, sitting in one of the armchairs. His arms rest perfectly on the sides of the chair, one leg crossed over the other. He shakes his head at Ravi, but his eyes are sympathetic.

     There are footsteps on the stairs. 

     Ravi looks up with trepidation. Taekwoon looks calm as he descends, but he almost always appears that way. Ravi’s heart feels like it’s being clenched inside his chest. Taekwoon is in his weekend clothes, worn jeans and a soft oversized sweater. He stops a few steps from the bottom, in view of everyone.

     “What day is it, Wonshik?” he asks softly.

      “I’m sorry-“

     “What. Day?”

      “S- …Sunday,” Ravi whispers, shrinking into the collar of his shirt as he tries to hold Taekwoon’s gaze.

     “And what time is everyone expected home on Sundays?”

     “Three o’ clock,” he says, even quieter, dropping his gaze to the floor.

     “What time are Sunday dinners?” Hakyeon continues from his spot in the living room.

     “Six sharp,” Ravi murmurs, feeling his face getting hot and his eyes turning itchy.

     “When did you get home today?” Back to Taekwoon.

     “Six…oh five.”

     “Three hours late, Wonshik. Three hours,” Hakyeon says, his voice now a little sharper. “And without a call.”

     “I know… I’m sorry, I just didn’t- I didn’t notice, I was really focused and I thought it was two, I really did-“ His voice is starting to break, but it’s the wrong answer.

     “You thought it was two?” Hakyeon’s voice gains volume and he rises out of his seat as he talks. “You didn’t notice? So I’m guessing you never once looked at the clock which means you never once took a break. You didn’t even look up from your screen did you? Wonshik, we agreed, every hour you need a twenty minute break, you _promised_ -“

     “Hakyeon.” Taekwoon’s voice silences the other man. He looks back to Ravi. “Wonshik, upstairs.” Taekwoon turns his gaze to the others. “Boys, please set the table. Dinner will be at six-thirty tonight.” Ravi isn’t relieved. Only twenty minutes for his punishment just means that it will be more intense, or carried out over the rest of the night. He takes shoes off, feeling the weight of five pairs of eyes on him, and he slowly follows Taekwoon up the stairs in the silence.

~

     Everyone else is seated at the table when Hakyeon and Ravi come back downstairs at exactly six-thirty. Ravi is still staring at the floor and his eyes are puffy, but he’d clearly washed his face so no one could see the tear tracks. Ken’s expression softens when he sees Ravi. Taekwoon is being hard on him tonight. Ravi is dressed in a crisp white button down with a starched collar, buttoned to his throat. It was tucked into pristinely ironed black slacks with a belt, and he had a black tie on as well, perfectly knotted. Taekwoon, in a final act of indignity, had even combed and gelled Ravi’s hair into a Sunday school coif, severely neat and looking like it belonged to someone from the Midwest. Oh, and he’d even dug out the shiny dress shoes, too.

     Ravi loves fashion and enjoys dressing up, but only when he wants to. He hates being dressed up when everyone else is casual, as they are now, and he holds sacred his privilege to be comfortable at home. To be so stiffly dressed for Sunday dinner, a time meant for comfort in their house, and to look this out of place among them when even Taekwoon is in jeans, is slow torture for Ravi.

     No one says anything as he and Taekwoon sit, Taekwoon at one end of the table across from Hakyeon, Ravi at Taekwoon’s left hand beside Sanghyuk.

     “Wonshik has also lost his phone and iPad for the night. Since he wasn’t here with us earlier today, we’ll make sure he’s present for the rest of the night,” Taekwoon announces to the room at large. Ravi’s gaze bores holes into the table. Hakyeon glances at him, then starts serving everyone once the silence has stood for a minute or two, passing plates around the table.

    They eat without saying anything at first. Taekwoon eats normally and everyone else keeps their eyes politely averted from Ravi’s struggle to keep his composure. Hyuk notices Ravi hunch over his plate, and Taekwoon murmurs a firm “Posture, Wonshik,” without even glancing at the other man. Ravi straightens up slowly, though his head remains down as he keeps staring at his plate. Hyuk glances at Ken, who shakes his head when Ravi’s shoulders hitch. They can’t say anything yet.

     Ravi’s eyes are still hot and teary, and he eats as quietly as he can, feeling excess saliva and swallowed tears coating the back of his throat. He’s highly aware of the sound of his own chewing, the extra saliva in his mouth seeming loud in his ears. He tries to keep his breathing even when Hakyeon finally breaks the silence.

     “Jaehwan, did you have any students today?” 

     “Huh? Oh, yes, just one. It was one of my high school girls, she was panicking about the auditions this week. She’s not going for the lead but she really wants this one part…”

     It’s like time starts moving again for all of them, and Ravi can breathe a little easier. He starts to think now, not just concentrated on being as silent and invisible as possible. And that is when the guilt slithers in. Not the guilt over breaking house rules, breaking their meeting time. It’s guilt over the fact that he missed nearly all of Sunday with their family. It was difficult getting all six of them in the house at one time, never mind together. Ravi had promised he’d help Hakyeon with the laundry today, and he’d planned on holing up in bed with Hongbin for a while. He hadn’t played games with Hyuk in a couple weeks, either.

     Ravi’s shoulders hitch a little, the tears in his eyes spilling over. He shovels more food in his mouth as a distraction, his Adam’s apple bobbing against the constricting collar of his shirt. They roll down his cheeks silently, and they just keep coming as the chatter continues around him. Hyuk glances at Ravi when Taekwoon finally moves. Without saying anything Taekwoon stands and moves around the corner of the table to Ravi. He tips Ravi’s chin up with two fingers and takes a handkerchief out of his pocket. Taekwoon runs it over Ravi’s cheeks and under his eyes, drying his tears as gently as it seems he can. Hongbin and N keep up the conversation, even as they all watch the exchange. There’s no need to make Ravi more self-conscious than he already is.

     Ravi is looking up at Taekwoon, taking in little stuttering breaths to try and calm his tears. When Taekwoon finishes with the handkerchief, he cups Ravi’s cheeks and leans down, pressing a soft, brief kiss to Ravi’s forehead. Ravi grasps both of Taekwoon’s wrists, keeps him there for a moment. He seems more together when they finally part, Taekwoon returning to his dinner as if nothing had happened.

     After that, dinner continues as it normally would, although Ravi is still mostly silent during it. When they’re finished, Ravi moves to help clear the table with everyone else, but Taekwoon stops him with a hand on his shoulder.

     “It’s time for your bath,” Taekwoon tells him, and the way he words it makes Ravi’s cheeks flush. He glances back at the others, who are all standing, and Taekwoon notices. “Do you have something you want to say?” he asks. His tone isn’t expectant, because Taekwoon is merely giving Ravi the opportunity to say whatever has been weighing on him throughout the dinner. Ravi glances down at his feet again, but turns towards the rest of them a bit more.

     He bites his lip, standing there stiffly as they all wait.

     “I just... I feel really shitty. I made everyone wait for me and we all had plans and I-I-I let you down,” he murmurs, starting to hiccup again. “I only thought of myself… ‘m sorry…” He finishes in a barely audible whisper.

     “Thank you, Wonshik,” Taekwoon says.

     “We all appreciate that,” Hakyeon chimes in, voice gentle.  Ravi rubs at his eyes and nods again. Taekwoon’s hand comes up to rest on Ravi’s lower back, and he guides Ravi back up the stairs.

~ 

     The two of them come back down stairs close to an hour later. Taekwoon’s hand still hovers against Ravi’s lower back as they shuffle around the back of the staircase towards the den. Hakyeon is coming out of the kitchen with bottle of water, and Ravi reaches out for him. He’s still too raw and embarrassed to approach Hakyeon directly, so he just curls his hands into the hem of Hakyeon’s shirt, hanging onto the back of it. Hakyeon turns around curiously, and he melts into a smile when he sees Ravi, dressed in an overlarge sweatshirt and pajama pants, hood tugged over his head. He steps forward and wraps his arms around Ravi, hugging him tightly. Ravi lets himself be squished into the hug for once, even to the point of discomfort, hugging Hakyeon back. 

     “Go on,” Hakyeon murmurs when he finally lets Ravi go, nudging him towards the den. Ravi looks up at him and finally smiles, his bare feet padding down the hall. As soon as he enters the room and Ken sees him, he opens his arms for his friend. Ravi’s smile grows wider and he bounds over, clambering right into Ken’s lap and wrapping his arms around Ken’s neck. Ravi presses his face to Ken’s shoulder and just stays like that, Ken also squeezing him tightly, one hand rubbing up and down soothingly on his back. 

     He eventually slides to the side of Ken on the couch, curling up and leaning against his side. Ken sacrifices his arm very gallantly, letting Ravi wrap his arms around it and cling to it like it’s a stuffed animal.  Hongbin comes in as well, and passes around the back of the couch so he can lean over and kiss Ravi when Ravi glances up at him. Ravi loosens his grip on Ken for a moment so he can lean upwards, Hongbin obliging and cupping his cheek to kiss him more firmly. After Hongbin pulls away, he gives Ravi a grin and hops over the back of the couch to settle on his other side, to disapproving noise from Hakyeon. Hongbin just grins wider and leans against the armrest of the couch, pulling a blanket over his legs and Ravi’s.

     Hakyeon has settled in an armchair, and Taekwoon takes the loveseat across from him. Hyuk pads in from his shower and he hesitates when he surveys the room. Hongbin, Ravi, and Ken all perk up as Hyuk makes his way toward Taekwoon. Hongbin nudges Ravi, who nudges Ken, who nudges him back, their attention rapt. Hakyeon is peeking over the top of magazine as well, but Taekwoon seems unaware of this little drama playing out, tapping away at his phone. 

     Hyuk bites his lip. Taekwoon looks so relaxed after everything tonight, and everyone else is quiet. If there’s any night to do this, it’s right now, but he’s not sure if he can really do it, or if he’ll just pivot and take the nearby armchair like that was his plan all along, as he’s done so many nights before.

     He freezes right before the loveseat, but he can’t afford that, can’t have Taekwoon glancing up to find him staring. So he compromises and flops to the ground next to Taekwoon’s legs, more of a fall than a deliberate descent. Haltingly, he leans his head on Taekwoon’s knee, his face beet red. Hongbin has to stuff his fist into his mouth to keep from laughing, and Ravi tugs his hoodie over his eyes, grin still visible as he cringes a little for Hyuk, and Ken has an acute coughing attack suddenly.

     Hakyeon puts his magazine back up, smiling to himself. Their Hyogie is so cute. Taekwoon, meanwhile, looks over at the noisy ones and quirks an eyebrow, then looks down at the light pressure against his knee. Hyuk is staring very determinedly at the TV. Taekwoon’s lips may curl up just the slightest, and he settles back into the cushions, now texting with one hand as the other one strokes through Hyuk’s hair.

     Quiet settles over them after that, and everyone even feels mellow enough to let Hyuk and Ken put anime on. Ravi closes his eyes and just listens to the rustle of Hakyeon reading and the tapping of Hongbin and Taekwoon’s fingers on their phones in the background. During a commercial, Taekwoon moves to stretch, and when Hyuk sits up, Taekwoon looks down at him and pats the cushion next to him invitingly. 

     Hyuk stares up at him, uncomprehending for a moment. When he realizes what Taekwoon means, he scrambles up to his feet. 

     “Uh, actually, I have to, um, go to the bathroom… Be right back,” he mutters, and flees the room, nearly tripping over his own two feet.

     “Awwww, you scared the baby away,” Hakyeon coos. “He was doing so well this time, too.” Taekwoon rolls his eyes at all of them, but when he looks back to his phone he’s smirking to himself. Hyuk reenters when it seems like a believable amount of time has passed, and this time he deposits himself right into a chair, ignoring everyone’s grins and focusing only on the TV as he hugs his knees up against his chest and everyone slowly lapses back into silence.

     Ravi only realizes he dozed off when Ken is moving beneath him and Hakyeon is shaking his shoulder.

     “C’mon, Wonshik, it’s bedtime.” Ravi opens his mouth to protest when he notices the clock on the cable box only says 10:30, an hour earlier than they usually have to sleep on Sundays.     “No arguments. We’re all going.” Ravi huffs at Hakyeon, but doesn’t complain further when Taekwoon raises his eyebrows at him.

     “Want me to carry you?” Hakyeon offers, and Ravi makes a face, shaking his head. 

     “I can do it,” he mumbles, standing up and rubbing his eyes. Ken takes his hand and they trudge upstairs, Hongbin on their heels, and Hakyeon hanging back to herd Hyuk up as well while Taekwoon locks up for the night.

     Everyone moves around each other with practiced ease as they get ready for bed. They don’t have rooms that are truly their own in the house, tending much more towards playing musical beds, but Hakyeon, Taekwoon, and Hongbin share the large bathroom in the master suite because they have the most products, and the other three share the one in the hall.

     Taekwoon comes to fetch the sleepy Ravi back to the master suite for the night, and Hongbin also decides to join them. Hakyeon gently steers Hyuk to the second largest bedroom, Sanghyuk lingering in the hall as he stares at Taekwoon’s retreating back for a moment before letting himself be manhandled to bed. Hakyeon glances over his shoulder at Ken. 

     “Do you want to join?” Jaehwan shakes his head and then shrugs.

      “Thanks, but I don’t think so tonight.”

     “I understand. Do you want to sleep alone tonight?” Ken looks over at their third room, dark and quiet, and shakes his head. Hakyeon smiles and holds out his hand, and Ken follows him inside, sliding into the second double bed they have in that room. He listens to Hakyeon and Hyuk murmur together in the next bed until both of them fall asleep, and then Ken follows.

     In the other bedroom Ravi strips off his sweatshirt and climbs into bed next to Taekwoon, who winds his arms around Ravi. Hongbin climbs in beside him, one arm resting over Ravi’s waist and tangling their legs together. He kisses the spot behind Ravi’s ear.

     “Goodnight,” he whispers. 

     “Goodnight,” Ravi murmurs back.

     Taekwoon strokes Ravi’s cheek with the back of his hand and leans their foreheads together. Ravi smiles when their gazes meet, before closing his own, drifting off peacefully.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't even know, guys. It just happened.
> 
> There will be more of this universe, though.


End file.
